Forbidden Romance
by wolf with panther eyes
Summary: Birchkit and Applekit were best friends when they were kits. Now, older and wiser, they meet again at a Gathering. Romance blossums between the two young warriors, but can they really ignore their own Clans and follow their hearts? CHAPTER 16 IS UP
1. Best Friends Forever

I don't own Warriors. I kind of own all the kits and apprentices' warrior names, but not really.

* * *

Applekit and Birchkit pressed their pelts against each other in warm friendship as they gazed down at the indigo water. Leafpaw said this was their new territory. To them, it was the most beautiful thing they had ever seen. 

Cats around them were murmuring in joyful tones. Caught up in the moment, Applekit turned to Birchkit. "You're my best friend, Birchkit."

Birchkit began purring as they intertwined their tails. "You're mine two, Applekit."

Her light green gaze met his amber eyes. "We'll be best friends forever and ever," she mewed happily.

Birchkit felt as if he could drown in the depths of her eyes. "Forver and ever," he promised.

"Applekit, it's time for sleep..." Tallpoppy stopped as she saw the two kits curled up together. They were so peaceful, lying there together. Applekit's pale, almost white fur had mingled with Birchkit's darker brown fur, and their chests rose in perfect symphany.

Tallpoppy gently licked Aplekit's forehead. "Goodnight, my little one," the ShadowClan queen whispered. She glanced at Birchkit. He seemed a perfectly nice young tom. Slightly worried of what the furture might bring, she added "May StarClan light your path."

* * *

I know that was short, but it's just the introduction. Be patient with me, I have to move this story to this computer. Please review this section, though.

Next chapter: We meet Appleheart, graceful ShadowClan warrior, her brothers Marshpelt and Toadfoot; and Birchclaw, strong warrior of ThunderClan, as they go to their first Gathering as warriors.


	2. Reunited

Just thought I'ld remind you, _I know Birchclaw's real warrior name is Birchfall! _I just called him Birchclaw before I found out, and I decided to keep the name.

Anyway, enjoy! (And leave a review!)

* * *

Appleheart was filled with excitement. It was her first Gathering as a warrior! She exchanged glances with her brothers, Toadfoot and Marshpelt. They looked equally excited.

But Appleheart couldn't shake off the feeling that something was missing. She ignored it, concentrating on the Gathering ahead.

"Hey, Toadfoot," Marshpelt laughed. "How are you feeling?"

Toadfoot leapt onto the fallen tree trunk. "Never better."

"And you, sis?" Marshpelt flicked her lightly with his tail.

Appleheart tilted her head to one side. "Are you kidding?" She and her brother jumped on the trunk after Toadfoot. The full moon shone down, turning Appleheart's usually light pelt a beautiful silvery colour. Marshpelt's brown flecked fur was also silver.

"We look like StarClan warriors," he laughed. Lowering his voice, he whispered. "Look who Toadfoot's with."

Appleheart stared at Toadfoot. The dark brown warrior was talking to a RiverClan apprentice.

"Oh, that's..." Appleheart searched her mind. "Minnowpaw."

Marshpelt gazed at the black she-cat. "Minnowpaw, huh? What a beauty."

Appleheart leapt gracefully onto the island, tripping her brother with a forepaw. "Too love-struck to think straight?" she teased.

Marshpelt got to his feet. "Ha ha, very funny," he groaned.

"You know, it's nice seeing you two play like kits," a she-cat said behind them. "You act so serious in camp that you deserve a bit of play."

"Tallpoppy!" Appleheart purred as she recognised her mother. "We were just playing."

Her mother nodded, her eyes twinkling. "Do you remember Ferncloud?" she meowed suddenly, as a light grey ThunderClan she-cat joined them.

Appleheart felt that she had seen Ferncloud before, but she couldn't remember when. "Sorry, no."

"You and your brothers used to play with my son, Birchclaw," Ferncloud mewed, swelling with pride. "He's just been made a warrior."

"They've just become warriors too," Tallpoppy cried. The two she-cats started chatting about their children.

"Shall we leave them?" Appleheart whispered to Marshpelt. No reply came. "Marshpelt?"

She soon spotted him, chatting to Minnowpaw. Appleheart starting strolling over to them when a cat stood on her tail.

"Owww!"

"Sorry!"

Appleheart gathered her tail around her and started inspecting it. She could tell that the cat who'd stood on it was still beside her. She could smell that it was a ThunderClan tom.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. He had a deep, strong voice. "I'm really sorry, I didn't mean it."

"I'm sure you didn't," Appleheart replied, still checking her tail. She gave it a few quick licks. "It's not really..."

Her voice died away as she looked at the tom sitting beside her. He was a young, handsome brown tabby with a strong build. His amber eyes flashed as he stared at her in surprise.

"Applekit?" he meowed, staring at her straight in the eyes.

Appleheart stared back. It didn't feel frightening. "Birchkit?"

"I'm Birchclaw now," the tom corrected her. "You'd probably be a warrior too, come to think of it."

"Yes," Appleheart replied. "My warrior name is Appleheart."

Birchclaw nodded approvingly. "Wow, you've... grown."

"So have you," Appleheart blushed a little.

"And not just that, you've grown beautifully."

"Thank you," Appleheart smiled, dipping her head. "You're not so bad yourself."

A familiar yowl broke out. Both cats turned to see the leaders getting ready to start the meeting.

"Do you want to sit together?" Birchclaw suddenly blurted out. He gave his chest a few self-conscious licks. "I mean, what with us both being new warriors and all..."

"Okay," Appleheart said quickly. She nudged him gently with her shoulder. "Come on."

The two cats sat down together. Appleheart kept glancing around. There was Marshpelt, next to Toadfoot and Minnowpaw.

"We have three new warriors," a voice said. Appleheart suddenly realised she'd missed the beginning of her leader's talk. "Appleheart, Marshpelt and Toadfoot."

Appleheart sat up a little taller, curling her tail around her front paws.

"Birchpaw has also become a warrior," Firestar announced later. "He will now be known as Birchclaw."

Birchclaw raised his head, his amber eyes gleaming. Before she knew what she was doing, Appleheart gave the ThunderClan warrior a friendly lick on his ear.

Birchclaw froze for a second before cautiously reaching down and gently rubbing his cheek against hers. Appleheart began to purr with delight. She felt happier than she'd ever felt before.

She'd forgotten that she was from ShadowClan and he was from ThunderClan.


	3. She's Just A Friend

Same thing applies to Whitepaw here - I know her warrior name is Whitewing, but I like Whitecloud better. This is the name I gave her, anyway.

Hope you enjoy the nex chapter! Please leave a review (thanks to everyone who already has!).

* * *

"You seemed very happy at the Gathering, Birchclaw," Whitecloud remarked.

"I should have been," Birchclaw grinned. "It was my first as a warrior."

Whitecloud flicked her tail. "I was talking about your ShadowClan friend."

Birchclaw stared at her in surprise. "Who, Appleheart?"

"Yes, Appleheart," the white she-cat sighed. "You got on with her well enough." Her green eyes sparkled with worry. "You do remember these names? Greystripe. Leafpool. Stormfur. Bluestar. Rainwhisker."

"What about them?" Birchclaw asked, growing uneasy.

"They all took mates in other Clans," Whitecloud explained. "Greystripe's mate Silverstream ended up dead, Leafpool and Rainwhisker were left heart-broken, Stormfur left RiverClan to join Brook, Bluestar and Greystripe gave up their own kits… It's a bad path to take, Birchclaw."

Birchclaw paused for a moment before he understood what she was saying. "Are you saying that I'm falling in love with Appleheart?"

"It's possible," the she-cat shrugged her snowy shoulders.

"But we're just friends…" Birchclaw's voice trailed off. He thought of the way she had licked him when Firestar said his name, thought about her sweet earthy smell of apples. She really was one of a kind.

Whitecloud spun around and looked straight into his eyes. "Just be careful, okay?"

"Of course I'll be careful," Birchclaw agreed, but he lowered his gaze as he said it. Whitecloud gave him one last stare before running over to Spiderleg. Birchclaw let out a sigh of guilty relief that she had not pestered him further.

A shape suddenly caught his eye. Standing behind all the Clan cats, Rainwhisker was still gazing after the retreating RiverClan cats. The dark grey tom's blue eyes were clouded in pain and sadness as they connected with that of a dark tabby she-cat's. Birchclaw felt a tug at his heart as he remembered what had happened to them.

Rainwhisker had met Swallowtail when the Clans had had to move to new territory. They started out as friends, but as their feelings grew deeper for each other they changed within their Clans. Birchclaw could remember how Rainwhisker, usually bright and helpful, became reclusive, always running off to meet Swallowtail on the marshes near RiverClan. This went on until Rainwhisker and Swallowtail were finally discovered. Both cats chose to go on living in their respective Clans, but it broke Rainwhisker's heart.

Now that Birchclaw remembered Rainwhisker's story, others sprang to his mind. He had only experienced Rainwhisker's and Leafpool's, but the others had been told to him by the elders.

Bluestar was the first. She was the leader before Firestar, and had fallen in love with a RiverClan tom named Oakheart when she was still a young warrior. Unfortunately, while she was expecting his kits, the old deputy retired. The only other cat for the post was a cat who cared only for fighting. With this in mind, Bluestar took her kits to RiverClan, where they were raised by a queen named Greypool. Bluestar became deputy, and then leader. Her two kits grew up thinking that they were pure RiverClan. One of the kits was Stonefur, who was once RiverClan deputy; the other was Mistystar, the current leader of RiverClan.

Then there was Greystripe. Greystripe had fallen in love with RiverClan she-cat Silverstream after she saved him from drowning. They kept their relationship secret until Silverstream had their kits. She died after giving birth, and Greystripe took his kits back to ThunderClan. There was a huge argument about whether ThunderClan or RiverClan should keep them. Greystripe settled the matter by joining RiverClan himself. He later rejoined ThunderClan because he felt too homesick. His kits became Feathertail and Stormfur, mentored by Bluestar's own children.

Feathertail had been one of StarClan's chosen to deliver the Clans to their new home. She had never seen it; she died on the way back. Stormfur had fallen in love with a she-cat named Brook Where Small Fish Swim, and moved in with the Tribe of Rushing Water.

The story about Leafpool and Crowfeather was complicated, because no one really knew about it until they left.

Leafpool couldn't be found one day. Sending out search parties, Cinderpelt revealed to Firestar that she had caught her with Crowfeather on the border of their territory. Not only was Crowfeather a WindClan cat, the fact that Leafpool was a medicine cat made it forbidden for her to have a mate. WindClan confirmed that Crowfeather was also missing. The two cats were gone for around a week. When they turned up, ThunderClan was in the midst of a terrible battle against a group of badgers, in which Cinderpelt died. Leafpool took up the position of medicine cat, while Crowfeather returned to WindClan. Although they never talked to each other now, everyone knew that both cats were still very much in love.

Checking the details in his head, Birchclaw realised that there were three River-Thunder relationships, one WindClan-Thunder and one River-Tribe. ShadowClan was the only Clan which had never been involved in the game of forbidden love. Could Birchclaw and Appleheart be about to change that?

No, Birchclaw decided. _We're just friends._

But that night, his dreams were interrupted by a she-cat with a pale, red-tinged coat and beautiful emerald eyes.


	4. Patrolling With Tawnypelt and Toadfoot

Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing this story! Here's a new chapter for you to enjoy.

Note: In my story, Tawnypelt was Appleheart's mentor.

* * *

While Birchclaw was dreaming of Appleheart, she was dreaming of him. The ThunderClan tom sat right next to her, as he'd done at the Gathering. He was whispering such comforting words into her ear…

"Appleheart!"

"Huh… wha?" she stammered sleepily as a paw prodded her side. "Oh, it's just you."

"Just me?" Tawnypelt twitched her whiskers. "Is that what I am to you now that you're a warrior?"

Appleheart stifled a grin. "No, oh Great One," she meowed sarcastically.

Tawnypelt snorted. "You're beginning to sound like Marshpelt."

Appleheart nudged her old mentor. "That's because you always made us train together!" She mewed.

Tawnypelt twitched one ear. "Come on, Russetfur wants you, me and Toadfoot to do dawn patrol." She padded out of the den; Appleheart followed.

Toadfoot was lying in a patch of sunlight, usual because the camp was mostly shadowed by broad pine trees. He stood up lazily as the two she-cats approached him. "Hi there, Appleheart," he casually greeted his sister.

Appleheart pushed her muzzle into his fur. "Oh, come on," she meowed. "Just because we're warriors, doesn't mean we can't still be brother and sister."

Toadfoot blinked slowly, a barely audible purr escaping him.

"Where are we patrolling then?" Appleheart meowed, her light green eyes bright. She had suddenly realised that if they were going to patrol the ThunderClan border, they might run into Birchclaw…

Appleheart shook her head. Why was she thinking like this? He was an enemy warrior, for StarClan's sake! All the same, she couldn't help feeling slightly disappointed when Tawnypelt said "We'll be patrolling the RiverClan border."

Toadfoot nodded. "Shall we go, then?"

The three cats set off through the shadows of the pine forest. Dappled sunlight lit their fur and their eyes shone in the muddled darkness.

"So," Tawnypelt asked. "How was the Gathering?" The tortoiseshell she-cat had stayed at camp last night.

While Toadfoot immediately started explaining everything that had happened at the Gathering, Appleheart began to dream about Birchclaw again. The strength he'd held in his shoulders… his light brown tabby pelt… those amber eyes…

"And Appleheart sat next to a ThunderClan warrior," Toadfoot jolted Appleheart out of her daydream.

"Really?" Tawnypelt asked, surprised.

"His name was Birchclaw," Appleheart glared at her brother. "We played together on our journey to this territory. We haven't seen each other since we were kits."

Tawnypelt's eyes glowed with sudden understanding. "I remember that! You two and Marshpelt loved playing with Birchkit - Birch_claw_ now."

Appleheart felt uncomfortable. This talk of Birchclaw was making her think of the ThunderClan tom even more. She suddenly remembered something else. "I'm not the only one who sat with a cat from another Clan!" she meowed triumphantly. "Toadfoot and Marshpelt sat with Minnowpaw and Pebblepaw of RiverClan!"

Tawnypelt looked expectantly at Toadfoot, who just shrugged. "We got along really well," he explained.

"Did you see any other ThunderClan cats at the gathering?" Tawnypelt turned to Appleheart. The pale tabby she-cat thought back to last night.

"I saw Ferncloud, Birchclaw's mother," she said slowly. "And Firestar and Brambleclaw, of course." Remembering that Brambleclaw was Tawnypelt's brother, she added "He looked very healthy."

"I saw Berrypaw, Rainwhisker, Leafpool, Whitecloud," Toadfoot listed all the ThunderClan cats quickly. "Oh, and Ashfur was there too."

"Ashfur?" Although the she-cat sounded disinterested, Tawnypelt's green eyes suddenly shone more brightly than before. "How is he?"

"He's fine," Toadfoot replied, oblivious to the tortoiseshell's interest. Appleheart couldn't help wondering why Tawnypelt was paying so much attention to news of the grey tom. Maybe it was because Ashfur loved her brother's mate, Squirrelflight.

The three cats found no trouble at the RiverClan border, so the patrol headed back to the camp, silent this time. Tawnypelt quickly reported to Blackstar that they had seen nothing wrong. "No sign of RiverClan cats or Twolegs."

Blackstar looked thoughtful. "Could I spare you to go hunting, then?"

The half-Clan she-cat nodded. "I'll hunt over by the Pine Clearing. Appleheart, do you want to come with me?"

Excitement rose in Appleheart's throat. The Pine Clearing was very close to the ThunderClan border. She might see Birchclaw again!

"Sure, Tawnypelt," she meowed calmly, trying to hide her sudden burst of happiness. It slowly died away as she realised that she would be with Tawnypelt - a she-cat who tried not to have any contact with any member of ThunderClan, just to prove that she was a loyal ShadowClan cat.


	5. Together Yet Again

Sorry it took longer to post a new chapter. I've had writer's block (groan). Anyway, here you are, the next chapter of Forbidden Romance.

* * *

Birchclaw yawned, stretching his paws. Sunlight streamed through the branches of the warriors den. Apart from the golden tabby pelt of Thornclaw in one corner, he was alone.

Birchclaw pulled himself to his feet. He extended his front legs in a stretch before padding out into the camp clearing.

It was a beautiful day. The camp was bathed in the sun's rays; Sorreltail and Daisy were lying outside the nursery, sharing tongues. Sorreltail's kits played beside them, while Hazelpaw and Berrypaw engaged in a more violent tussle outside their den. There was a feeling of peace and security in the air.

"Hey, Birchclaw!" Birchclaw turned to see Cloudtail bounding over to him. "Sandstorm wants you for a hunting patrol."

Birchclaw dipped his head. "Thanks, Cloudtail." He followed the white warrior over to where a small group of cats were gathering.

"Finally!" Sandstorm twitched her tail impatiently. "You're in the patrol with Brackenfur, Spiderleg and Ashfur."

Birchclaw sat next to Spiderleg. His older brother flicked Birchclaw's flank with his tail as a greeting.

"You can hunt over near the WindClan border," Sandstorm told the first lot of cats. "And you can check out the Foxpath," she continued, turning to Birchclaw's group. "Keep out an eye for any traps. Remember what they've done to cats in the past."

Birchclaw shuddered, recalling how Berrypaw had lost most of his tail in a trap.

"If that's all, Sandstorm." Brackenfur stood up and turned to the group. "Birchclaw, do you need to eat anything? You did only just wake up."

Birchclaw jumped to his feet, sudden energy flooding through him. "No," he meowed, his fur tingling. "Let's go."

Brackenfur nodded, then took the lead and led the others out into the forest.

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Slowly, Birchclaw crept across the forest floor. His mouth was teeming with prey scents. With pinpoint accuracy, he leapt.

His teeth cut off the vole's squeal. He got up, twisting around to see that Spiderleg had a thrush in his mouth. The black-brown tom dropped the thrush and covered it with some dirt. "Good catch, Birchclaw," he purred.

"Thanks," Birchclaw replied, also dropping his vole. "You're not so bad yourself."

Spiderleg playfully cuffed him over the ear as Brackenfur joined them. Fresh-kill dangled in his jaws.

"I think we've caught enough prey," Brackenfur meowed. "We should be getting back."

"Where's Ashfur?" Birchclaw asked. The gray tom had been his mentor.

"He decided to go hunting by himself," Brackenfur smiled. "He said he wanted to catch as much as he could for the Clan."

Spiderleg and Birchclaw nodded, each dipping their head to pick up their fresh-kill. But as they began to go back, Birchclaw caught an unusual smell mixed in the ShadowClan scent that was blowing across to them.

"You guys go on," he called after them. "I'm going to try for some more prey in these bushes."

Brackenfur twitched his ears in acknowledgement, already disappearing into the undergrowth. Spiderleg glanced questioningly at his brother before following the golden tabby tom.

Birchclaw scrapped some earth over his prey. He'd come back and pick it up later. Cautiously, he began pursuing the scent trail. The smell was sweet, and brought with it a sense of security that reminded Birchclaw of when he was a young kit, curling up to his mother.

Dropping into a crouch, Birchclaw followed it. To his surprise, it led to the ShadowClan border. Birchclaw sat down, puzzled. How could a smell so nice come from ShadowClan?

A bush rustled on the ShadowClan side of the border. Birchclaw pricked up his ears, suddenly tense. He relaxed as he recognised a squirrel scamper across the forest floor. But then he noticed a pair of green eyes gleaming from the shadowy forest. A pale tabby crept out, gaze fixed on the squirrel. _Appleheart! _Birchclaw felt his heart leap with joy, but he forced himself to stay still, watching as Appleheart stalked her prey.

She pounced directly on top of the squirrel. Before it could make a noise she killed it.

"Well done!" Birchclaw called from his side of the border. Appleheart heard him, and dropped the squirrel's limp body in surprise.

"Birchclaw?" she meowed. "What are you doing here?"

"I was hunting," he replied with perfect honesty. "You're much better than me, if that catch was anything to go by."

Appleheart blushed a little. "So, how are you?" she asked, sitting down opposite him on her side of the border.

"Can't complain." Birchclaw smiled at her. "I've been hoping to see you again."

"Have you?" Appleheart meowed happily. "I have too."

"How come we never meet as apprentices?" Birchclaw wondered, giving his chest a few self-conscious licks. "We would have been at a Gathering at the same time."

"Maybe it was just coincidence we never ran into each other," Appleheart suggested. "It is weird though. We were good friends on the Great Journey."

"We were, weren't we?" Birchclaw agreed. He suddenly remembered what had happened at the Gathering. "How's your tail?"

"It seems fine," Appleheart responded. "It wasn't your fault, stepping on it. You were probably trying to impress some she-cat by acting like a badger."

Birchclaw laughed. "Nah, I'm not good with females."

"I find that hard to believe," Appleheart purred. "You seem to be a very smooth-talking tom."

"Appleheart," Birchclaw began, then stopped. He couldn't tell her what was running through his mind.

"Yes, Birchclaw?" Appleheart suddenly felt lighter then air. What was he going to say?

"I…" he scuffed the ground with his paw. "I think we should meet up again. I like being with you. It feels… right."

Appleheart nodded. "I feel the same," she whispered.

Their eyes connected; ThunderClan amber and ShadowClan green.

"Can I see you tomorrow? I'll meet you down by the lake." Birchclaw felt an urge to stay with her now, but he knew the Clan would get suspicious. Whitecloud already was.

"Sure," Appleheart agreed. "When about?"

"Sunhigh." Birchclaw felt daring. He stepped across the border and gently rasped his tongue over her ear. She responded by pressing her muzzle into his neck.

"Sunhigh, then."

* * *


	6. Meeting With Birchclaw

Appleheart padded out of the warriors den, daydreaming about a certain ThunderClan warrior. A small patch of filtered sunlight warmed her, but nothing could warm her as much as the glow inside her when she thought of Birchclaw. Slowly, Appleheart was beginning to admit to herself that she had never felt this way about any other cat. And she was going to meet him again today!

Seeing Birchclaw yesterday had felt… well, perfect. The fact that he had no mate, he enjoyed talking to her and that he wanted to meet her again… perfect, perfect, perfect!

Appleheart couldn't help purring quietly with joy as she remembered the gleam in his amber eyes as he'd glanced at her before padding away. She licked a paw and began to groom herself, thinking happily of yesterday.

"Hey, Appleheart," a voice beside her meowed.

Appleheart turned, one paw still held to her muzzle. "Oh hello, Smokefoot."

The black tom dipped his head. "I was just wondering…" he scuffed the ground with his paw, then said in a rush. "If you aren't doing anything today, would you like to come hunting with me?"

"I'm sorry, Smokefoot," Appleheart replied, and she was. They'd hunted together before as apprentices and he, being the more senior apprentice, had shown her all the best hunting grounds. "I planned to go hunting by myself."

"Oh," Smokefoot looked slightly hurt and embarrassed. "Oh, okay then." He stood up.

"How about tomorrow?" Appleheart suggested. It would be nice to hunt with Smokefoot again.

"Tomorrow?" Smokefoot repeated, pricking up his ears. "That sounds great." Hesitantly, he began to pad away. "See you later then."

"Bye," Appleheart called after him as he left the camp. Noticing that it was nearly sunhigh, she pulled a thrush out of the fresh-kill pile and devoured it with quick, almost dainty bites. Finished, she glanced at the sky again.

"I'm going hunting," she told Oakfur, who was on guard duty. He nodded, and Appleheart dipped her head and pushed through the gorse tunnel. Outside, she gave herself a brief shake before heading off to meet Birchclaw.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Appleheart sat down at the water's edge, curling her tail around her paws. Birchclaw wasn't there yet.

"Okay," Appleheart whispered to herself, the sound of the river in her ears. "Remember, he probably only likes you _as a friend_." Nonetheless, she couldn't help smiling to herself.

A twig snapped behind her. Instinctively, apple heart spun around, her fur beginning to bristle. But it was too late.

Large sheathed paws caught her and pushed her into the shallows of the lake. Luckily it was greenleaf, and the water was pleasantly warm.

Appleheart raised her head, spluttering. On the bank, Birchclaw sat looking pleased with himself, his fur dripping from crossing the river. "Hey, Appleheart," he meowed calmly, a gleam in his amber eyes. "I thought you'd fancy a dip in this warm weather. I certainly enjoyed mine."

Appleheart stood up, laughing. She began to wade towards him. "And I thought you should come and join me," she purred as she leapt. She caught his shoulders with sheathed paws and the two cats rolled into the lake.

Birchclaw growled good-naturedly once he'd caught his breath back. He hit out with a paw and splashed Appleheart. Green eyes shining, the pale tabby responded by splashing him, and for a while the two warriors forgot all about their Clans as they acted like they were kits again, play-fighting in the water.

Laughing, Appleheart glanced up at the sky. She stopped. "I'd better go," she meowed quietly, not meeting his eyes. Birchclaw nodded, and the two cats waded towards the bank before shaking themselves dry. The playful atmosphere between the two was gone; Appleheart wished she didn't have to return to her Clan. She wanted to stay here, playing with Birchclaw. But her Clan would miss her if she stayed any longer.

Appleheart touched his nose with hers. "Bye," she murmured, drinking in his welcoming scent. "I had fun today."

"So did I," Birchclaw sounded sad as well. Sorrow glinted in his eyes. "I'll see you later, then."

Appleheart nodded, her throat dry. She began to pad away into the pine forest.

"Appleheart, wait!"

Appleheart turned; Birchclaw was racing over to her. "Birchclaw?" she meowed in surprise. "What is it?"

The light brown tabby pressed his muzzle against hers. "Appleheart, I've been wanting to… I've been waiting to tell you…"

Birchclaw looked her straight in the eyes. Appleheart could see emotion and passion swimming in the depths of his gaze. And then he opened his mouth and said something that Appleheart had been secretly wanting him to say ever since the Gathering.

"I love you."


	7. Being in Love is the Best!

"I love you."

With those words, Birchclaw knew he was going back on everything he'd ever been taught. Just by saying three little words, he had broken the warrior code.

But then he forgot about that, because then Appleheart pressed her fur against him and intertwined her tail with his. "I love you too," she whispered in his ear. He gently licked her cheek in reply.

The two cats lay down, murmuring sweet nothings into each other's ears. "You know we're breaking the warrior code," Appleheart reminded Birchclaw, but her voice was light and carefree.

"I would break a thousand codes to be with you," Birchclaw replied, and he meant it.

"Just a thousand?" Appleheart teased. To have her here, lying next to him, breathing in her flowery scent; Birchclaw couldn't help wishing that they could stay like this forever, free from codes and Clan boundaries.

"Will you meet me here again?" Birchclaw suddenly asked her, his amber eyes serious.

Appleheart licked his muzzle. "Of course I will," she purred. "ShadowClan would have to kill me before I stopped loving you."

"And ThunderClan would have to kill me," Birchclaw agreed. "And then StarClan would have to destroy me because I'd go on meeting you in dreams."

Appleheart rested her head against his shoulder. "Maybe we should run away," she suggested. "Free of boundaries and rules."

Birchclaw shook his head. "That isn't the answer." He glanced at the sky. "It's getting late. You better go."

Appleheart sighed, but she stood up anyway. "Can I meet you here tomorrow night?"

"Sure." Birchclaw got to his paws too. "We can watch the moonlight together."

"I'd like that," Appleheart mewed softly. She wound her body around his and licked him on the nose. "Goodbye," she whispered. "I love you, Birchclaw."

"I love you too." Birchclaw echoed her words as Appleheart dashed off in the direction of her camp. Head lowered, he headed back to camp. _How can we succeed,_ he wondered, _when all other forbidden loves have failed?_

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Appleheart seemed to fly on invisible wings as she raced back to the camp. She'd collected a few pieces of fresh-kill; it was good that she was such a star hunter. But she didn't really care if she'd returned empty-pawed. Who cares? All she cared was that Birchclaw loved her! And she loved him with all her heart.

Appleheart padded into the ShadowClan camp and dropped her prey in the fresh-kill pile. Tawnypelt, lying in a last patch of evening sunshine, beckoned Appleheart over. "Where have you been all day?"

Appleheart felt a twinge of guilt as she replied "Hunting." It wasn't really a lie, because she _had_ hunted before she'd returned to the camp.

Tawnypelt looked unconvinced. She raised her head and whispered "Remember to wash off the ThunderClan scent."

Appleheart felt a wave of embarrassment sweep over her. "Oh, er… thanks." She immediately turned her head and began to wash Birchclaw's scent out of her fur.

Tawnypelt lay back. "Just remember to do that, and it'll take a while until you're caught out." Eyes twinkling, she meowed "I suppose it is Birchclaw?" When Appleheart didn't reply, she added "Don't worry, I won't tell."

"Yes, it's Birchclaw," Appleheart muttered, her heart leaping as she remembered the feel of his pelt pressing against hers, and how she had intertwined their tails together. _Was it really wrong to be breaking the code, _she wondered, _when Birchclaw made her feel so special?_

Tawnypelt let out a soft purr before resting her head on the ground again. "It feels great, doesn't it? Being in love, I mean," she mewed. Her eyes had taken on a wistful expression.

"It's the best thing in the world!" Appleheart said the words loud enough for an apprentice nearby to hear. He gave her a curious look.

"Nothing to see here, Owlpaw," Tawnypelt meowed firmly. Owlpaw dipped his head to the senior warrior and padded over to the apprentices' den. Once he was gone, Appleheart turned back to her companion, surprise gleaming in her eyes.

"Are you… are you in love?" she asked shyly. As far as she knew, Tawnypelt had never shown any real signs of affection to any of their Clanmates.

The tortoiseshell ignored her. "There's still some sun left," she reminded Appleheart. "You may as well go and hunt for a while longer."

Appleheart fixed Tawnypelt with a curious stare before taking her advice. She left the camp and wandered to a good area of hunting territory, not really concentrating as she dropped into a crouch and began to stalk a robin. What was her old mentor not telling her?

Was _Tawnypelt_ having a forbidden romance?


	8. Whitecloud

I'd like to apologise _yet again_ for leaving you hanging. It took me forever to think of what this chapter was going to be about.

The next chapter will take a long time too, as there's many plot details I need to work out.

Well, here it is. Enjoy!

* * *

"Birchclaw? _Birchclaw_!"

"What is it?" Birchclaw grumbled, reluctantly opening an eye.

A white-furred face was staring at him. "You _did _remember you were on dawn-patrol?" Whitecloud asked innocently.

Birchclaw shot up. "Oh no!" he exclaimed, getting to his paws quickly. "I completely forgot."

Whitecloud shook her head. "I don't know what's gotten into you," she meowed. "You sleep almost all the time. I know you like sleeping in, but this is too much."

Birchclaw paused next to the den entrance. He had become a lot sleepier these days because he was secretly meeting Appleheart under the cover of night. It had been about a half-moon since he'd admitted his love for her, and he did not regret it in the slightest; even if it did make him wander about in a daze most of the day.

Whitecloud gave him a shrug. "Come on, then. Brambleclaw will be even angrier than usual if he finds out we missed the patrol."

"We?" Birchclaw pricked his ears. "Are you coming too?"

Whitecloud sighed. "There's no talking with this one," she mewed in an undertone, but Birchclaw knew she was just joking.

Brambleclaw was waiting for them with Berrypaw and Cloudtail. "It's about time," he remarked, immediately turning and padding out of the camp. Cloudtail gave his daughter a quick lick as she passed him, while Berrypaw walked alongside his mentor. Birchclaw fell into step behind them. It was good to walk through the woods this early; he'd forgotten the beauty of the sunrise. Everything shone in the morning light, including the four cats in front of him.

_I wonder if Appleheart would appreciate this, _Birchclaw wondered. Early on, the she-cat had confessed she felt uneasy among the lush undergrowth in ThunderClan's territory. This thought led to other memories and daydreams of his love for her, and so it took Birchclaw a while to realise where the patrol was heading.

The trees over his head became more shady and pine saplings began to appear in between the more thicker birches, willows and oaks. Birchclaw stopped in surprise before walking slightly faster until he was level with Whitecloud.

"Are we heading to the ShadowClan border?" he whispered in her ear. She stared at him.

"Yes. Brambleclaw said that just after we'd left the camp." Her eyes had taken on a suspicious glow. She glanced around, than pushed Birchclaw behind a bramble bush.

"Hey," Birchclaw began to say before Whitecloud clamped her tail across his mouth and pinned him down with her forepaws.

"What is wrong with you?" she hissed. "You're not acting like yourself, Birchclaw!"

"Nothing's wrong with me!" Birchclaw retorted. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Don't tease me!" Whitecloud's paws dug deeper into his chest, though luckily her claws were still sheathed. "You haven't been the same since the Gathering."

Her words finally got through to Birchclaw. Panic rising in him, he asked "Has the whole Clan noticed?"

"I have," Whitecloud growled. "And so have Spiderleg and Dustpelt! They're not the only ones. Leafpool asked me yesterday if you were ill."

Birchclaw's heart sank. ThunderClan knew he was acting oddly; it was only a small step from that to discovering his relationship with Appleheart.

Whitecloud released him, although he could tell she was upset and a little hurt by his refusal to tell her anything. "The patrol's gone," she murmured, not looking at him. "We should catch up with them."

Birchclaw followed, feeling a tug of pain at his heart. Whitecloud was his closest friend in ThunderClan; he didn't want to destroy their friendship. As they neared the patrol, he made his decision.

"Do you want to come hunting with me later?" he meowed under his breath so the others wouldn't hear. "I promise I'll tell you everything."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You're joking, right?" Whitecloud stared at him with disbelief in her green eyes. "You're just making this up."

"I'm not, Whitecloud," Birchclaw sighed. He'd told Whitecloud all about how he'd met Appleheart at the Gathering, and how she and him had been sneaking out to see each other for the past half-moon. "You can say what you want, but I'm not giving Appleheart up," he added as he suddenly recalled the talk Whitecloud had given him immediately after he'd met Appleheart.

Whitecloud shook her head. "Yes, but Birchclaw," she meowed. "Every forbidden romance ends in heartbreak. I don't see how yours can be different. I don't want you to get hurt when you have to part."

Birchclaw felt somewhat frustrated. "We're not going to split up," he pointed out. "I love her too much."

"But does she feel the same way?" Whitecloud mused.

"You haven't met her, otherwise you'd know that she loves me just as much as I love her," Birchclaw argued.

Whitecloud glanced up at him. "I'd advise you to forget about her," she meowed. "But as you won't do that, I suggest you meet her less, get some more sleep instead and take up more patrols. That way the Clan won't get suspicious."

Birchclaw stared at her for a second. It was times like these he was most proud that Whitecloud was his best friend.

"Thanks, Whitecloud." As a sudden afterthought, he added "You won't tell anyone, will you?"

The snowy she-cat gave him a flick with her tail. "Of course not," she purred. "Besides, I've got other things to think about. I promise you, though, I will not spill one word of this to anyone."

Birchclaw let out a sigh of relief. "You're the best, Whitecloud."


	9. An Interrupted Meeting

Here's chapter... nine? It's that writer's block again, sorry I took so long.

* * *

Appleheart sighed, rubbing her cheek against Birchclaw's shoulder. "Of course I'm not annoyed you told Whitecloud," she purred. "After all, Tawnypelt knows about us as well."

Birchclaw let out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you feel that way," he told her. "I'd choose you over any cat, any day, but Whitecloud's one of my closest friends. I don't want to spoil our relationship."

Appleheart meowed her agreement. "Nothing should get between our friends." It was one of the many reasons she loved Birchclaw; he was very loyal to his Clanmates. A small part of her glowed with pride as she realised that to him, she was more important than the whole of ThunderClan. For a while they sat in silence, content with just being together, watching the stars overhead.

"Hey, guess what?" she said suddenly, raising her head.

"What?"

"Tawnypelt's having kits!" Appleheart mewed happily. "Her first litter."

Birchclaw licked Appleheart's nose. "I never thought she'd settle down completely," he murmured, surprised. "Who's the father?"

"Rowanclaw," Appleheart replied. "It wasn't a forbidden love like ours at all." The pale she-cat had been slightly disappointed when Tawnypelt had announced the news yesterday. She'd secretly liked the idea of another cat so close by breaking the warrior code along with her. But at least she'd been able to come into the open about her kits. Seeing the delight in the tortoiseshell's face, Appleheart couldn't help repressing a twinge of longing.

"Birchclaw," she meowed softly.

The ThunderClan tom turned his face to her. "Yes, Appleheart?" His amber eyes were as full of love as they had been on the day they'd confessed their feelings for each other.

Appleheart hesitantly continued. "Birchclaw, did you… have you ever thought about…"

Before she could finish what she was going to say, there was a rustle in the bushes behind them. Birchclaw instantly stood up, his face drawn back in a snarl, while Appleheart raised herself into a fighting crouch.

There was a flash of white fur, and then Whitecloud was standing with them. "Birchclaw!" she cried. "You need to get back to the camp. They've noticed you're gone."

Birchclaw nodded briefly. He turned to Appleheart and rasped his tongue over her ear. "When we next meet, you can tell me," he promised. "I love you."

Appleheart touched his nose with hers, breathing in his scent. "I love you too."

Birchclaw gave one last lingering look, then spun around and dashed through the undergrowth, leaving the two she-cats together.

"You're Appleheart, right?" Whitecloud broke the pause.

Appleheart nodded slowly. "You must be Whitecloud." Then, remembering what Birchclaw had said about the ThunderClan cat, she added "It's nice to finally meet you. Birchclaw's told me all about you."

Whitecloud dipped her head. "He never stops talking about you," she murmured. "It's great to see him so happy, but the Clan's getting suspicious." She raised her head. "How long can you wait before you meet him again?"

"Not long," Appleheart replied. "But does midnight, two days from now, seem okay to you?" Personally, she wanted to see him tomorrow, but Whitecloud was right.

"If you can't manage longer…" the white she-cat sighed. "I'll tell him. Nice to have met you, Appleheart." She turned and ran off in the direction Birchclaw had gone.

Appleheart lay down, her nose resting on her paws. She didn't feel like going back to her Clan yet.

"Appleheart?"

The she-cat spun around for the second time that night. For a heartbeat, she stared at the stranger. Then she dipped her head in greeting. "What are you doing here, Smokefoot?"

The black tom gazed at her with unblinking blue eyes. "Moonhigh patrol," he explained briefly. "I heard voices. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"A bit of late night hunting," Appleheart meowed quickly. "It's great to hunt when the forest is covered in moonlit shadows." Her heart was in her throat; she hoped he'd buy her story.

"You should have let some cat know," Smokefoot mewed.

Appleheart stood up. "I will next time," she responded, padding past him and into the depths of her territory. Smokefoot watched her go with a puzzled expression on his face.

Far too late, Appleheart realised that she hadn't washed Birchclaw's scent out of her fur when she'd brushed past Smokefoot.


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry this took forever. I was on holiday and had writer's block. It's a bad combo if you're trying to write.

Anyway, this chapter adds a bit of plot and is slightly shorter than usual. You may like it, you may hate it. Either way, please review and tell me what you think!

* * *

"You forgot to wash his scent off?" Tawnypelt meowed in shock.

"I didn't forget!" Appleheart wailed, quietly. "I just didn't have any time."

The sun had been quite high in the sky by the time Tawnypelt had woken. Appleheart herself had had a sleepless night; she was too busy worrying if Smokefoot had scented Birchclaw on her. When the black tom had padded into the den, a while after Appleheart got back, he had stared at her for a second, sniffing her fur before going to sleep.

"I'm sure he knows," Appleheart pressed her nose into her paws. "How could I have been so stupid? I should have known the moonhigh patrol was out last night. Maybe Blackstar's got them going out every night, and I'll never see Birchclaw again."

"Didn't you listen to Blackstar's announcement?" Tawnypelt asked, trying to comfort her old apprentice. "He only said patrols are every second night. You can still see Birchclaw."

Appleheart looked up, a sudden spark in her emerald eyes. "Really?"

"I'm sure," Tawnypelt meowed.

"Alright." Appleheart sat up and gave her chest a quick lick. Why had she panicked so much? There was nothing to panic about! "Can you feel your kits yet?" Appleheart asked for a change of subject, feeling curious.

Tawnypelt shook her head. "I'm still very early on in my pregnancy," she mewed briefly. "I won't feel anything for about a quarter-moon."

"Appleheart!"

Appleheart nearly jumped out of her skin. "Marshpelt!" she meowed in surprise. "Don't you ever sneak up on me like that again!"

Her brother grinned at her. "Why ever not?"

"I'll leave you two alone," Tawnypelt said, getting up and padding over to the nursery.

"Where've you been, Appleheart?" Marshpelt enquired. "I hardly ever see you nowadays."

"I'm around," Appleheart replied, standing up too. She was more lithe than her brother, who was quite stocky and had thick, long fur. "Busy been a warrior. ShadowClan's star hunter has got to hunt all the time."

"Since when have you been ShadowClan's star hunter?" Marshpelt said playfully, ducking and knocking Appleheart front paws out from underneath her.

Appleheart fell forwards on her face. "Ouch!" she exclaimed, rubbing her nose with a forepaw.

Marshpelt looked surprised. "Sorry, did I hurt you?"

Appleheart shoved him to one side. She loved her brother; he always made her feel like a playful kit.

Marshpelt gave his head a shake. "Anyway, do you want to go on a patrol with me and Toadfoot?" he offered. "We haven't been together since we were kits."

Appleheart smiled at him. "I'd like that," she meowed, pushing all thoughts of Smokefoot to one side.

"I thought you would," Marshpelt purred. He turned his head. "Shall we get going, then?"

Appleheart grinned. "Why not?" she walked across the clearing to where her other brother sat, grooming his thick fur. "Hey, Toadfoot."

Toadfoot looked up. "Hello, Appleheart." He got up and stretched out his front legs. "Ready to go?"

"Yep," Marshpelt nodded. "Cleaned yourself fully, brother of mine?"

"If I groomed myself just once, it would beat your record," Toadfoot retorted.

"Ah, Toadfoot! You've hurt me deep inside," Marshpelt declared, placing a paw over his heart. Appleheart giggled, and Toadfoot rolled his eyes.

"Come on, let's go."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Two blue eyes, hidden in the shadows, watched Appleheart, Toadfoot and Marshpelt pad out of the camp. They glinted icily.

"So," Smokefoot murmured to himself. "Appleheart loves a ThunderClan cat." His heart felt like it was breaking. He'd never told any cat, but he'd loved Appleheart dearly, ever since he'd first seen her. He had hoped that she would choose him as her mate, and now he knew she'd chosen an enemy warrior over him. All the love he felt for her was slowly becoming something else - he didn't know what. And as for Birchclaw…

Smokefoot gritted his teeth, unsheathing his claws. If he could get Birchclaw alone, there would be some serious fighting involved.

His mind filled with rage, the black tom got to his feet.

"Oh, Appleheart," he whispered. "One day you'll thank me for what I'm planning to do."


	11. Chapter 11

Here's the next chapter! It's taken a long time to write, but I hope you enjoy it. I've already got the next chapter all planned out...

* * *

Squirrelflight swivelled around. "Is that for us?"

Birchclaw dropped the rabbit he was holding and pushed it towards her. "Who else would it be for?" he replied, grinning.

Squirrelflight grinned back, then turned to the fresh-kill and began to eat, her kits beginning to mew in high-pitched voices as they felt their mother move.

"How's been a warrior going?" Ferncloud asked her son, flicking her long, gray tail as Squirrelflight's kits moved towards her.

Birchclaw sat down and curled his tail around his paws. "I'm enjoying it."

Ferncloud gave a soft purr. Birchclaw noticed that her belly was just starting to become plump as her unborn kits - Birchclaw's siblings - grew. In the meantime, she was busy feeding Squirrelflight's kits, as she had done ever since they'd been born and Squirrelflight found out that she could not feed them herself.

"How are the kits?" Birchclaw twitched his ears towards them.

Squirrelflight swallowed a piece of rabbit. "They're strong and healthy," she reported, licking her lips. "So far, there's nothing wrong with them."

"Good," Birchclaw smiled. He leaned over and gently touched his nose to the gray tom kitten. The tiny kit immediately turned to face him, and Birchclaw noticed something. "His eyes are open!"

"What?" Squirrelflight quickly glanced at her kit. He looked back with wide, light blue eyes.

"Your first kit to open his eyes," Ferncloud murmured softly. "I'm sure Jaykit will grow up to be a strong warrior one day."

Jaykit gave a tiny mew.

"Do you want me to go and get Brambleclaw?" Birchclaw offered. "I bet he'd love to see this."

"Thanks, Birchclaw," Squirrelflight meowed, not taking her eyes off her son.

Birchclaw exited the nursery and headed for the warriors' den. "Brambleclaw?" he called, sticking his head in the den. "You might want to go and visit Squirrelflight."

Almost immediately, the dark brown tabby emerged. "Nothing's wrong, is it?" His eyes flashed with alarm.

Birchclaw shook his head. "No, it's good news."

Brambleclaw glanced at him for a moment before hurrying over to the nursery. Birchclaw padded slowly across the clearing, absentmindedly listening to the murmurs from the nursery.

_It would be nice, _he thought, _if Appleheart and I could have kits_. He quickly shook off the idea. If Appleheart did have their kits, they would grow up to be ShadowClan warriors, and Birchclaw might have to fight them one day. He wouldn't be able to spend any time with Appleheart during her pregnancy, either.

Not for the first time, Birchclaw wished she was a ThunderClan cat. He couldn't wait to see her again; he loved her so much it took his breath away at times. And not only that, she loved him too.

He'd see her tomorrow. He'd get to see her again, and once more they could spend a night together.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Appleheart!" A voice called from across the clearing.

Appleheart looked up. "Yes, Russetfur?"

The dark ginger she-cat padded over to her. "You're on for the RiverClan moonhigh patrol tomorrow."

Appleheart froze. "Tomorrow?" she repeated.

"Yes, tomorrow," Russetfur sighed. "You haven't done one in a while. Rowanclaw will be leading the patrol."

As Russetfur stalked away, Appleheart felt panic rising through her. She'd agreed to meet Birchclaw tomorrow night, and now it looked like he'd turn up, and she wouldn't be there. Birchclaw might think she didn't love him anymore!

Taking deep breaths, Appleheart suddenly knew what she should do. Tawnypelt couldn't do anything; she was too heavily pregnant. But there were other cats in ShadowClan she trusted with all her heart…

Standing up, she went to look for Marshpelt.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What?!" Marshpelt stared at her, his amber eyes wide. "You've been meeting up with a _ThunderClan_ cat?"

Appleheart nodded. "I love him," she reminded her brother. Appleheart had found him while he was hunting, and quickly told him the whole story.

Marshpelt shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "I know, but… oh, StarClan help me," he muttered under his breath.

"All you need to do is go to the ThunderClan border tomorrow night, by the lake, and tell him I'm on patrol," Appleheart explained.

Marshpelt kept staring at her. "My own sister," he murmured. "Who would have thought it?"

Appleheart placed her paw on his, like they did when they were kits. "I'm trusting you to keep my secret safe, and to help me." She opened her eyes wide, trying to look innocent. "Please help me."

Marshpelt groaned. "Don't do the innocent eyes… Alright, fine! I'll do it!"

Appleheart looked hopeful. "Really?"

"Yes, really." Marshpelt gave his chest a few licks. "Can't say I'm too happy with it, but I'll help you."

Appleheart covered his face with licks. "Thank you, Marshpelt!"

Neither of the cats noticed the pair of narrowed blue eyes in the shadows.


	12. Chapter 12

I know you've been waiting for this chapter, so here it is. It's a bit different from the story so far, as it keeps switching POVs. Try to keep up, as it does work.

I hope you enjoy it, and look forward to the next chapter!

* * *

Marshpelt watched Appleheart as she trailed along behind Russetfur and Oakfur. Her pale tabby coat shone while the moonlight dappled it silver - just like the night of their first Gathering. She turned and gave Marshpelt a quick glance. Her brilliant green eyes seemed to stare right through him as he gave a tiny nod. Relieved, Appleheart sprang after her patrol.

Marshpelt gave a sigh. He couldn't believe he was going to have to meet up with a ThunderClan warrior. Appleheart had suggested that he wait a while before leaving to avoid suspicion; he headed into the warriors' den, then stopped.

Murky green eyes stared at him. "What are you and Appleheart planning?" Toadfoot asked. His voice sounded calm, but there was a hint of jealousy that Marshpelt detected.

"Nothing," Marshpelt replied, padding over to his bed of moss. He curled up in it, his amber eyes still open and wary as he gazed at his brother.

Toadfoot didn't take his eyes off Marshpelt. "Then why were you both whispering away all of today?"

Marshpelt suddenly reminded himself that this was Appleheart's brother as well as his own. He thought of all the times the three of them had shared secrets, as apprentices and as kits. "Okay," Marshpelt meowed slowly. "I'll tell you."

Toadfoot looked surprised. "You will?" he meowed before he could stop himself.

Marshpelt sat up. "Yes," he answered, flicking his tail backwards and forwards. "But you probably won't like it."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Russetfur lifted her muzzle in the air, sniffing. "They haven't crossed the boundary for a while," she meowed, a note of satisfaction in her voice.

Rowanclaw looked pleased, but Appleheart wasn't listening properly. She kept glancing across to the ThunderClan border, hoping everything would be going okay between Marshpelt and Birchclaw. _I can't take much more of this, _she thought desperately. What if Marshpelt forgot to go? What if Birchclaw thought Marshpelt was an enemy, and attacked him?

She shook her head. She was being ridiculous. Everything would be fine between them, she knew it.

"Appleheart!" she heard Russetfur yowl from up-ahead. Abandoning her muddled thoughts, she sprinted after them.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Marshpelt drew closer to the ThunderClan border, his pawsteps instinctively became lighter and he lowered his shoulders. His thick fur tingled with apprehension, and his eyes flickered from side to side. Stopping a little way from the lake clearing like Appleheart instructed, he gave a small hiss. "Birchclaw…"

No noise came from the clearing, other than a gentle rustle of leaves.

"Birchclaw," Marshpelt tried again. He took a step forward and peered out into the clearing.

A heavy weight dropped on his back, and Marshpelt yowled in shock as pain stung either side of his flank. He dropped and rolled, managing to dislodge whoever was on his back.

Marshpelt sprang up, blood trickling from the scratch wounds on his sides. He turned, unsheathing his claws and baring his teeth, ready to claw the cat who'd attacked him.

Almost instantly, he faltered. "What…" he began to say, bewildered.

His world went black.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Appleheart gratefully entered her camp, scenting the air around the camp entrance. Her heart sank when she realised that Marshpelt wasn't back yet, but she tried to not let it show.

To her surprise, Toadfoot was hovering beside the warriors' den entrance. He came over to her. "Is Marshpelt with you?" he meowed anxiously, glancing behind her.

Appleheart shook her head. "No. Why?" She did her best to look curious, but her heart was pounding madly.

Marshpelt glanced at her. He dropped his voice to a whisper. "I know about you and Birchclaw. It's okay." He rasped his tongue over her ear, smiling at the look of shock on her face. Then he suddenly remembered why he'd come over her. "Now that you're back, we should go and find Marshpelt."

Appleheart nodded, trying to swallow her surprise. "I guess," she murmured.

Toadfoot pressed his pelt against hers comfortingly. "Come on, then."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I can't hear anything," Appleheart mewed worryingly. Her green eyes glinted as she glanced around.

"Maybe they're just trying to get used to each other," Toadfoot suggested, but he was also getting worried. Where was Marshpelt?

Suddenly, Appleheart smelt something. She sniffed again, lifting her nose in the air. Her eyes widened. "Blood," she whispered.

Toadfoot immediately sniffed the air. It was faint, but unmistakable. It was blood, but _whose_ blood?

Appleheart started trembling. "Please, StarClan," she breathed. "Please…"

The two cats began to walk slowly towards the scent. It grew stronger and stronger.

Suddenly, Toadfoot's ears went back. He stopped abruptly and stared at the base of a tall tree. Appleheart followed his gaze, and for a moment her heart stopped beating.

"Marshpelt," she breathed, rushing over. Toadfoot followed her closely.

A dark shape was curled up between the tree roots. Dried blood had formed on his back; blood clots that were still slightly warm. The cat was clearly unconscious, a deep scratch over his eyes.

Toadfoot glanced at Appleheart. "I'm going for Littlecloud," he said softly. "Stay here." He ran off into the forest again.

Appleheart felt fear rise up in her. Surely Birchclaw couldn't have done this to her brother? She began to lick Marshpelt's fur, wiping away the dried blood.

A low growl.

Appleheart froze. Slowly, she raised her head.

There was another growl. This time, Appleheart realised where it was coming from. _The clearing_, she thought to herself, her fur beginning to bristle. Slowly, she got to her paws and began to creep through the thinning pine trees. The growling got louder as she got closer. It seemed to be familiar…

Appleheart glanced out into the clearing.

Opposite her, a black shape was standing over a limp brown tabby. The grass around them ran scarlet; the dark, sticky smell drifted over Appleheart as she stared in horror. She began trembling.

The black shape turned around. Two eyes, once so warm, now stared in cold satisfaction.

"Appleheart," Smokefoot meowed calmly, wiping his bloodied paw on a patch of already stained grass. "I was hoping you'd come."


	13. Chapter 13

I promised I'd have this up by the end of the week, so here it is! This chapter's extra-long... I couldn't stop writing. Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

"Birchclaw!" Appleheart cried, dashing over to where her mate lay. She could make out that he was breathing, but shallowly. He looked a mess - a huge cut tore down his flank.

Smokefoot's eyes turned cold with hate. "I wouldn't come too close if I were you," he snarled softly, gently patting Birchclaw's neck with his claws.

Appleheart stopped. "How… how could you?" she choked out in disbelief as Birchclaw's head rose slightly.

Smokefoot gave the ThunderClan tom a heavy blow with his forepaw. "I'll let him live," he hissed. "On one condition."

Appleheart was frantic. Blood was pooling around the two toms, and she could see that Birchclaw desperately needed a medicine cat if he was going to live. "What's the condition?" she meowed, her voice high-pitched.

Smokefoot fastened his blue eyes on her. "Become my mate," he answered coldly. "Agree to become my mate, and I'll let him live. You must never see him again."

Appleheart stood, frozen. She couldn't be Smokefoot's mate when she didn't love him, but she didn't want Birchclaw to die. Slowly, she nodded.

"I agree to your condition," she mewed, not looking at his eyes. "Just let him go."

Almost instantly, Smokefoot drew away from the unconscious warrior. "Are you sure, Appleheart?" he almost purred.

Appleheart swallowed. "I'm sure."

Smokefoot nodded. "Good." He stalked off into the pine forest. "Come on, then."

Appleheart didn't move. "You're not… you're not going to just leave him here?"

Smokefoot glanced back at her. "Of course I am," he answered.

Later, Appleheart would wish that she'd thought before she acted, to avoid what happened. But she didn't think.

She saw Birchclaw, close to death.

She saw the cat who'd almost killed Birchclaw.

Red clouded her vision.

Appleheart leapt at Smokefoot, unsheathing her claws. She landed on his back, digging her claws into his spine. The ShadowClan tom yowled in pain, twisting over so Appleheart was crushed beneath him. The pale tabby didn't let go.

Smokefoot up righted himself quickly, the impact throwing Appleheart off. She jumped to her feet.

"I knew I couldn't trust you," Smokefoot hissed as the two cats circled each other. "Why couldn't you have loved me, instead of loving him?"

Appleheart's green eyes narrowed. "You should have known better." She darted across and scored her claws against his neck, wanting to rip the life out of him. As Smokefoot cried out and blood dribbled out of his neck and jaws, Appleheart pushed him to the ground and, filled with a mindless rage for the cat that had almost killed Birchclaw, tore his throat with her teeth.

Smokefoot shuddered, then became stiff, his eyes as still as the lake on a windless day. Blood pooled out around his body, and Appleheart slowly became aware that she was covered in the scarlet fluid.

"What have I done?" she whispered, as her anger disappeared. Horror formed in her green eyes. "Oh StarClan, what have I just done?"

A faint noise from across the clearing reminded her of Birchclaw. She hurried over to him, not looking at Smokefoot. "Birchclaw?" she mewed anxiously, nosing his fur gently.

Birchclaw gave a small groan. Blood was still seeping out of his wounds into the grass.

Appleheart licked his cheek. "I'll be back soon," she promised. "I won't let you die."

She raised her head and glanced around. Toadfoot had gone to get Littlecloud, but they were going to tend to Marshpelt. Littlecloud would find it difficult to save both cats at once. She had one choice left.

With a last glance at Birchclaw and a quick lick, she raced into ThunderClan territory.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Appleheart burst into the ThunderClan camp, panting. Almost instantly, every cat she could see bristled, narrowing their eyes as they took in her blood-stained coat.

"Need… Leafpool…" Appleheart wheezed heavily. "Birchclaw… injured…"

"Birchclaw?" It was Whitecloud who stood up. "He's injured?"

Appleheart nodded slowly. "I think he might die."

Whitecloud hesitated, then turned to her Clan. "Come on then!" she meowed. "Didn't you just hear? Birchclaw might be dying!"

"How do we know we can trust her?" A long-furred white tom called out. "She's a ShadowClan cat!"

Whitecloud met Appleheart's eyes. "We can trust her."

"Firestar?" The ThunderClan deputy, Brambleclaw, turned to the flame-coloured cat beside him.

Firestar looked at Appleheart. "Cloudtail, Dustpelt, Brambleclaw, Whitecloud, Leafpool," he meowed. "Go with her."

The cats Firestar had chosen were all strong fighters, with the exception of Leafpool. The ThunderClan medicine cat was already giving herbs to Whitecloud to carry.

"Led on," Brambleclaw meowed commandingly, pawing at the ground.

Appleheart nodded, than dashed out of the camp. The five ThunderClan cats followed her; their eyes weary, their bodies alert.

Soon, Appleheart began to smell the stench of blood, and a second later the group burst into the clearing.

"Birchclaw!" Whitecloud cried, dropping Leafpool's herbs and dashing over to her friend. Appleheart wearily followed her, and to her relief saw that Birchclaw's chest was still rising and falling.

Leafpool had also rushed over. "I need more cobwebs," she meowed quietly. "To stop the bleeding."

The long-furred white tom - Cloudtail - wound his paw around some nearby spiders' webs and limped towards them. "This do?"

Leafpool gently scraped them off his paw. "That should work," she mewed, crouching down beside the injured cat and applying the herbs.

"Brambleclaw," Dustpelt padded over to them. "You'd better have a look at this."

Appleheart's mouth went dry. They were looking at Smokefoot's body.

"Did Birchclaw do this?" she heard Dustpelt mutter, and she remembered that he was Birchclaw's father.

"He could have done," Brambleclaw meowed, his tone revealing nothing. "The fur between his claws matches Birchclaw's."

"Maybe the ShadowClan cat can help us." Cloudtail joined them. "It's worth a try."

Brambleclaw nodded slowly, and then turned to Appleheart. "Was there a fight between Birchclaw and this cat?" He gestured to Smokefoot.

Appleheart swallowed. "Yes," she whispered.

"Did Birchclaw kill him?"

Her stomach lurched. "No," she answered, her voice sounding stronger than she felt. "I did."

All the ThunderClan cats looked shocked. Whitecloud's eyes met Appleheart's, but the white she-cat said nothing.

"Why would you kill your Clanmate?" Cloudtail wondered.

"Because…" Appleheart's heart stopped, and she lowered her gaze to her paws. "He was about to kill my mate."

Another shocked silence. Appleheart briefly glanced up to see that the ThunderClan cats were glancing from her to Birchclaw, their eyes wide. Whitecloud was refusing to meet her gaze, concentrating on helping Leafpool.

"But Birchclaw wouldn't…" Dustpelt began, and Appleheart thought he was trying to convince himself that his son hadn't broken the warrior code. "He couldn't…"

Brambleclaw glared at Appleheart. "Birchclaw was your mate?"

Appleheart nodded.

"How did you meet?"

"At the Gathering, when our warrior names were announced." The words spilled out of Appleheart's mouth like water from an upturned leaf.

"How long have you been meeting?"

"Since then."

Brambleclaw paused before asking his next question. "Who else knew?"

"Ummm…" Appleheart looked down at her paws. "Tawnypelt and Smokefoot."

Brambleclaw's eyes widened as she said his sister's name. "Tawnypelt knew?"

Cloudtail stepped forward. "Surely someone from ThunderClan knew."

"I did." Whitecloud stood up, staring Cloudtail straight into his eyes. "Birchclaw told me. I've been helping them."

Cloudtail looked almost as surprised as the others. With a flash of understanding as she noticed their long, white fur, Appleheart realised they must be close kin - father and daughter, perhaps?

She heard a noise behind her and whirled around. Birchclaw was stirring. His shoulders heaved with each cough as blood splattered the already soaked grass. Leafpool was rasping her tongue over his ear in rhythmic strokes.

Appleheart padded over to him. "Birchclaw?" she meowed hesitantly, painfully aware of the other cats.

Birchclaw slowly turned his head towards her. "Apple… Appleheart?"

Instantly Appleheart forgot about the ThunderClan warriors. "It's alright," she murmured softly as she lay down next to him, pressing her pelt against his. "I'm here, don't worry." She took over from Leafpool, gently licking her mate's forehead. "Everything's going to be okay."

Birchclaw blinked. "Is… is that Leafpool?"

"Yes," Appleheart replied, glancing at the medicine cat. "She's been helping you."

"Appleheart," Birchclaw mewed, his voice sounding tiny and weak. "Am I badly injured?"

Appleheart hesitated, then whispered "Yes, but Leafpool says you'll survive."

Birchclaw gently licked her nose before resting his head on his paws and closing his eyes. His breathing slowed as he fell asleep.

Appleheart looked up. "He will survive, won't he?" she meowed, panic rising in her voice.

Leafpool smiled. "Don't worry," she promised. "He'll live."

Relief flooded through Appleheart; she began licking him again. Her heart was full of love for the tabby tom.

She heard a noise behind her, and turned to see Dustpelt staring at her in amazement. "He really loves you?"

"He really does." Appleheart paused. "And I love him more than anything."

"It doesn't matter if you love him or not," Brambleclaw growled. "What matters is that you're a ShadowClan cat, and he's ThunderClan."

"But, Brambleclaw, love is sometimes more powerful than Clan boundries." To Appleheart's surprise, it was Leafpool who'd spoken. The she-cat was standing a little way from them, and in her amber eyes memories began to stir. "How would you feel if Squirrelflight was from another Clan?"

Brambleclaw looked startled by her question. "If Squirrelflight was from another Clan, I never would have fallen in love with her," he retorted.

"What about you, Dustpelt?" Leafpool turned to the dark brown tom. "And you, Cloudtail. If Brightheart and Ferncloud were in different Clans, what would you do?"

Both toms looked down at their paws. Appleheart guessed Brightheart was Cloudtail's mate. What she wanted to know was why Leafpool was sticking up for her.

As if Leafpool knew what she was thinking, the medicine cat quietly murmured "I fell in love once, with a cat from another Clan. I still love him, but my Clan needed a medicine cat more than he needed me."

Appleheart's green eyes widened.

Brambleclaw glanced up. "Appleheart, is it?"

Appleheart nodded.

"We'll help carry the body back to your camp," he offered. "You should get back to ShadowClan while we get Birchclaw to our camp."

Appleheart felt her neck fur bristle. "No! I'm staying with him! If you can't understand that, you don't have to, but I'm not leaving him!"


	14. Chapter 14

This was a painful chapter to write - I needed to decide what happened to Marshpelt. Would he survive? Would he die? His fate is revealed.

Also, what will the ThunderClan cats make of Appleheart's request? Read on to find out!

* * *

The ThunderClan cats stared at her, but Appleheart didn't care. There was no way she was going to leave Birchclaw now, not while he was injured so badly. She crouched beside him, her eyes flickering to where the other warriors stood as she ran her tail lightly over his flank. 

Brambleclaw was the first to recover. His amber eyes burned angrily. "You are a ShadowClan cat!" he spat, his neck fur bristling. "There is no way you will be staying with Birchclaw!"

Appleheart leapt to her paws again. "And who are you to say that?" she yowled angrily. "You're not leader!"

Instintly, she knew she'd gone too far. She shrunk back as Brambleclaw took a step forward, unsheathing his claws.

"Firestar would say the same," he growled. "We don't know if we could trust you. For all we know, you could be a spy."

"That's unlikely," Cloudtail protested. "After all, we just saw how highly Birchclaw and Whitecloud think of her."

Appleheart swallowed. "I'm not a spy," she meowed, avoiding his gaze. "I just want to be with Birchclaw. I love him so much."

"Appleheart!"

Appleheart spun around, her eyes widening in surprise. "Toadfoot!"

Her brother raced over to her. "What happened?" he asked, panting. "I had to help Littlecloud get Marshpelt back to camp. I didn't have time to look for you."

"Who's this?" Brambleclaw enquired, his eyes still flaming.

Toadfoot glanced at the ThunderClan cats for the first time, and Appleheart noticed that his fur stiffened and his claws unsheathed into the dirt. "They've come to help me," she said quickly. "They're not going to attack."

Toadfoot glared at her, but he sheathed his claws and dropped out of his fighting crouch. Suspician still glinted in his green eyes.

Appleheart sighed, turning back to the ThunderClan cats. "Please?" she meowed. "Please just let me stay with Birchclaw until I know he's okay."

Brambleclaw opened his mouth to reply, but Dustpelt flicked his tail. "Maybe she's right," he meowed. "Maybe we can let her stay with us - just until Birchclaw's healed."

Toadfoot's eyes widened in shock as he heard what Appleheart was planning to do. "You want to stay with ThunderClan?" he hissed.

Appleheart met his gaze. "If Brambleclaw and Firestar let me."

"I'm sure Firestar will let you," Whitecloud added, moving to stand beside Appleheart. "As long as you do your bit to help us."

Brambleclaw struggled for a moment to get the words out. "Dustpelt, Cloudtail, Leafpool," he ordered. "Come with me."

Appleheart watched as the three cats followed him out of earshot, then turned back to Birchclaw. She lay down beside him, rasping her tongue across his ear in gentle strokes.

"Appleheart," Toadfoot mewed. "If they let you stay with them, what will Blackstar say? He'll excile you from ShadowClan."

"You don't have to do this," Whitecloud meowed on the other side of her. "I'd come and see you, tell you how he is."

Appleheart shook her head. "You don't understand," she whispered. "I couldn't bare being apart from him for so long." she glanced up, her eyes swimming with sorrow. "It's better this way. And if Blackstar exciles me, I'll try and get Firestar to accept me." She glanced at her brother. "What are you doing here?"

Toadfoot swished his tail in frustration. "I got Littlecloud," he meowed. "When we got to Marshpelt, I noticed you were gone. Littlecloud needed me to carry Marshpelt back, and then I came here to search for you. I thought you'd been attacked."

Appleheart's head shot up. "How is Marshpelt? Littlecloud's going to heal him, right?" A fresh wave of pain cashed through her as she realised she'd forgotten all about her injured brother.

Toadfoot averted her eyes, looking away. Appleheart's stomach did a backflip.

"No...he can't be..." she whispered, wishing the earth would swallow her up now.

Toadfoot pressed his nose against her neck fur. "It's not that bad; he's still alive," he reassured her.

Appleheart rested her head lightly on Birchclaw's back, breathing in his warm scent - distingusable even through the blood. "Thank StarClan," she breathed, but then saw the look on her brother's face. "But.. what's wrong, then?"

Toadfoot closed his eyes, a shiver passing through his pelt. "He - he has to join the elders now, Appleheart."

Appleheart froze. "What?"

Her brother turned to her, opening his murky green-brown eyes, andhis next words made Appleheart wish she'd never asked.

"His eyes have been torn out," Toadfoot said softly. "He's blind now."


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry I took so long to get this chapter written... hopefully it won't take me as long to write the next one.**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

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Appleheart felt her heart skip a beat. "What?" The word barely escaped her mouth.

Toadfoot glanced at his paws again. "That's what Littlecloud says, anyway," he muttered. "Some cat raked his claws across Marshpelt's eyes." The dark brown tom glanced up. "Was it Birchclaw?" he demanded. "Or some other ThunderClan cat?" His claws sank into the ground, tearing up a tuft of grass.

"No," Appleheart whispered, instinctively reaching out with her forepaws to touch Birchclaw's tabby fur. "Toadfoot - it was Smokefoot."

Toadfoot's eyes widened. "What?" When Appleheart nodded, he continued "I mean, how could it have been Smokefoot? He's our Clanmate!"

"It's true," Appleheart replied bitterly, remembering how she had coldly torn out the black tom's throat… "Smokefoot was the cat who injured Birchclaw - he must have blinded Marshpelt as well."

Toadfoot opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. He swished his tail angrily and jumped to his paws, an fiery rage burning in his murky hazel eyes. "Where is he? Just wait until I get my claws on him!" he snarled.

"No need to," Appleheart meowed hurriedly. Her brother looked almost as menacing as the fabled tigers of legend. "When I saw what he'd done to Birchclaw, I… I attacked him. And I killed him."

Toadfoot stared at her, the rage in his eyes slowly being replaced by bewilderment. "You killed him?"

Appleheart nodded miserably, suddenly recalling a happier time…

"_Hurry up, Applepaw!" Smokepaw laughed, leaping over a large log that blocked their way._

_Applepaw scrambled over. "It's not fair!" she protested. "You're bigger than me!"_

_Smokepaw turned and gazed at her, a playful glow in his blue eyes. "I never said it would be fair!" He touched his nose to her fur, then licked her ear. "Come on, then. This is our last hunt as apprentices!"_

_Applepaw groaned. "Why can't you stay an apprentice?" she protested. "It'll be no fun without you! Tawnypelt never lets me train with Marshpaw and Toadpaw."_

_Smokepaw smiled. "You'll do fine without me," he meowed, holding his tail high. "And you'll soon be a warrior yourself - and we'll be able to spend to rest of our lives together..."_

"Appleheart!"

Appleheart's head shot up and she jumped to her paws."Yes?"

Brambleclaw faced her; Dustpelt and Cloudtail standing next to him. Leafpool padded past them and Appleheart, and then sat down next to Whitecloud.

"We've decided to let you come back with us," Brambleclaw meowed, his amber eyes narrowed. "You can tell your story to Firestar."

Appleheart heard Toadfoot give a small groan next to her, but she ignored it. "Thank you, Brambleclaw," she replied, dipping her head.

"You," Brambleclaw mewed, striding over to where Toadfoot stood. "We'll help you carry your Clanmate's body back."

Toadfoot's eyes darted to where Smokefoot's body lay. Then his gaze flickered back, his eyes narrowing to match Brambleclaw's. "ShadowClan does not need your help," he meowed coolly. "We can take care of our own dead."

Brambleclaw raised an eyebrow. "Cloudtail and I will accompany you. Leafpool, can you possibly leave Birchclaw long enough to come with us?"

"I'm sure Brightheart could take care of him," Leafpool answered, lifting her head. "She knows enough herbs."

"That's settled, then." Brambleclaw twisted around and padded over to Smokefoot's body.

"Come on." Appleheart heard someone meowed in her ear. The ShadowClan she-cat turned to see Whitecloud standing beside her. The snowy she-cat's fur was bristled in worry. "We need to get Birchclaw back."

Slowly, Appleheart nodded. _This is it, _she told herself.

"Goodbye, Toadfoot," she meowed to her brother as he walked past her to Smokefoot's body. He acknowledged her with a detached dip of his head, and Appleheart suddenly realised that he'd changed. Her steadfast, dependent littermate was suddenly a stranger to her - he held his shoulders differently, and his mottled fur remained bristled; his tail held high while constantly swishing forwards and backwards. His murky green eyes refused to look at her.

"If you're going to be like this, we should leave you to ShadowClan," Appleheart heard Dustpelt remark as the dark tabby edged around her to get to Birchclaw. Appleheart quickly turned back to the cat who she loved most of all.

_I know it in my heart. This is the right thing to do._

_Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

"Birchclaw!" Appleheart heard a cat cry as she gently placed the injured tomcat onto the floor of the medicine den. A second later, a light gray she-cat entered the den and began licking Birchclaw's face rapidly. "Is he okay?" she meowed frantically between licks.

"Leafpool said he'd be fine, Ferncloud," Whitecloud said soothingly, touching the she-cat's flank with her tail.

With a slight shock, Appleheart remembered where she'd seen Ferncloud before.

"_You and your brothers used to play with my son, Birchclaw," Ferncloud mewed, swelling with pride. "He's just been made a warrior."_

It seemed like many seasons had passed since she'd starting meeting with Birchclaw… could it honestly have been no longer than a moon?

"I know you're worried, Ferncloud, but trust in what Leafpool says," a steady voice meowed behind Appleheart. "She's an excellent medicine cat."

Appleheart turned.

A ginger cat stood in the entrance to the den. Evening sunlight made his tabby pelt take on the appearance of flickering flames, and although she'd only ever seen him at moonlit Gatherings, Appleheart didn't have any trouble recognising him as Firestar, leader of ThunderClan.

"You must be Appleheart," Firestar meowed, stepping forward. "The ShadowClan cat Dustpelt has been telling me about."

Appleheart nodded, opening her mouth to speak.

"Come to my den first," Firestar interrupted, beckoning with his tail. Appleheart got to her paws and followed him as he led her out of the medicine den and across the camp clearing.

"Is that a ShadowClan cat?" Appleheart heard a kit squeal. "Let me at her!"

"Hush, Lionkit." The older voice of a queen came from the same direction. "She's here as a guest."

Firestar stopped before some fallen rocks and crouched slightly before leaping up them and pausing on a small ledge. As she scrambled up behind him, he gave her a nod and then padded into a small cave dented into the cliff face.

"Now, then," the flame-coloured cat said, curling up on a pile of moss. "I'd like you to tell me this story from the beginning."

"The very beginning?"

"As far back as you can go," Firestar agreed. "I'm in no hurry."

Appleheart sat down on the dusty floor. "Well, for me it started at the Gathering... although my mother says that it was during the Great Journey..."


	16. Chapter 16

Sorry it's taken so long to update - I've been on holiday!

And guess what? I made Toadkit dark brown and his warrior name Toadfoot - and so have the Erins! How weird is that? Toadfoot'll be appearing in Outcast.

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Birchclaw flattened down the fur on his shoulder while making sure he didn't irritate his wounds. It had been almost a moon since Smokefoot had been killed, and since Appleheart had joined ThunderClan, and his wounds were almost fully healed - mostly thanks to Leafpool and her herbs.

The tabby warrior glanced up as the soft rustling of the bushes guarding the camp entrance were deserved. Cloudtail padded in first, his white fur tangled with burrs as he triumphantly held three voles in his jaws. His new apprentice, Cinderpaw, kept pace with him, and Birchclaw felt a twinge of jealousy as he remembered that he had been injured and barely conscious when Sorreltail's kits were made apprentices. His jealousy was swept away, however, and his amber eyes softened as two she-cats entered the camp, both holding fresh-kill in their jaws.

Appleheart gave him a glance and a half smile before she placed her catch on the fresh-kill pile along with Whitecloud. The two cats had become good friends during Appleheart's stay, and Birchclaw was sure that they would miss each other when Appleheart returned home.

_If Appleheart is allowed to return to ShadowClan, _Birchclaw corrected himself, remembering how he'd almost hated Appleheart for giving up everything she had for him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_He felt like his whole body was on fire, burning with pain. He was too tired to move, his eyelids firmly closed and unwilling to open._

"Birchclaw," a soft voice whispered in his ear.

_A voice that sounded more beautiful than anything he'd ever heard… he'd do anything to hear that voice again._

Birchclaw slowly and painfully opened his eyes. A pale ginger - or was it brown? - shape swam before his eyes.

"Birchclaw," that beautiful voice said again, filled with delight this time. "You're finally awake!"

Birchclaw's memory came back with a large thud as the fuzzy image focused into a tabby she-cat with large, bright green eyes and creamy-coloured fur. She was staring at him intently, her eyes not moving from his face.

"Appleheart…" Birchclaw began to say, but his voice came out in a croak.

Appleheart hooked her claws into a pile of soggy moss lying at her feet and held it up to his mouth. "Drink," she advised.

Birchclaw let the water trickle down his parched throat. Any other time, he would have thought it stale, but at this moment it tasted as if StarClan themselves had collected it.

"Tha…thank you," Birchclaw rasped, his voice sounding rough and dry. "Appleheart… what are you doing here?"

"I made a deal with Firestar," his mate replied quietly as she leant forward and licked Birchclaw between the ears. He winced as her tongue scraped over a cut. "He's agreed to let me stay with you until your wounds are healed."

Birchclaw's eyes widened. "_What?!"_

"I couldn't just leave you!" Appleheart protested. "You're badly injured."

Birchclaw tried to get to his paws, but sheer exhaustion overwhelmed him and he fell back into his mossy bed with his back to her. He was fuming inside - Appleheart should have stayed with her Clan! He was just putting her in big trouble this way. Blackstar would probably rather see Appleheart dead than have her join his Clan again, and Birchclaw was pretty sure Firestar wouldn't let Appleheart stay with ThunderClan forever.

"You should have stayed with your Clan," he snarled under his breath, but by the gasp behind him, Appleheart had heard him.

"Birchclaw, I love you!" she almost cried. "I wouldn't have been able to live and not know if you were alright!"

Birchclaw turned his head around sharply, his joints screaming in protest. A retort jumped to his tongue before dying away. Appleheart was staring between her paws, her shoulders hunched up and her green eyes half-closed, her tail wrapped tightly around her.

Birchclaw closed his eyes, then opened them again. "I'm not saying it was the right thing to do," he meowed carefully. "But I am glad to have you here."

Appleheart glanced up, her eyes swimming with sadness. "Are you really, or are you just saying that?"

Birchclaw slowly lifted his tail and beckoned to her. Hesitantly, Appleheart padded towards him and lay down, resting her head against his shoulder. Birchclaw wrapped his tail around her flank and slowly licked her forehead.

"I mean it," he meowed warmly. "I love you more than life itself, Appleheart." He closed his eyes and rested his head on his forepaws. The last things he remembered before he drifted off to sleep again were the comforting warmth against his side, the gentle throb of Appleheart's purr, and her sweet, flowery scent.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hey, Birchclaw," Appleheart meowed, bounding over to them. She twirled around him, and Birchclaw closed his eyes for a moment and drank in her scent.

"How was hunting?" Birchclaw asked, getting to his paws and intertwining his tail with hers.

Appleheart's green eyes glowed with warmth. "It was fun. Whitecloud taught me and Cinderpaw how to fish out of the stream."

Birchclaw nodded. Firestar had told his senior warriors that Appleheart was allowed to take part in all the duties of a full ThunderClan warrior - but only on the WindClan boundary, or within the area around the camp.

Appleheart pressed herself harder against Birchclaw's fur, and whispered "The next Gathering is in two days."

"I know," Birchclaw meowed back softly. "Do you think you're ready to go home?"

Appleheart hesitated. "I'd love to know how Marshpelt and Toadfoot are," she murmured, and Birchclaw felt guilty at causing his mate to leave her brothers, especially while Marshpelt came to terms with his recent blindness. "And if Tawnypelt's had her kits yet."

The pale she-cat glanced up, and her green eyes met his. "But other times, I like it here. Most of your Clan has been quite friendly to me."

Birchclaw gave her a lick on the cheek. "It'll turn out fine," he promised. "You can go back to your Clan… and if Blackstar lets me, I'll join yours."

Appleheart's eyes flashed wide. "What?"

"You heard me," Birchclaw meowed. "I've had a lot of time to think this last moon, and I've decided. Your Clan needs you a lot more than mine needs me."

"But, Birchclaw…" Appleheart was at a loss for words.

Birchclaw untwined their tails and gently tapped his across Appleheart's mouth. "I've decided," he repeated. "When Blackstar lets you back into ShadowClan, I'm going to ask him if he'll take me. I don't think even he will turn down a strong, young warrior."

"I don't know," Appleheart meowed slowly, shaking her head. "It just doesn't seem _right_." She rubbed her cheek against his. "I don't want you to be unhappy."

"Appleheart," Birchclaw said firmly, without any trace of uncertainty. "There is no possible way for me to be unhappy as long as you are always by my side."

Appleheart's eyes misted over, and she leant against him, letting out a sigh. "It's the same for me," she whispered, rasping her tongue over his ear. "It always has been. I just never knew it until I met you again."


End file.
